You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

Unsure about weight at 9.5 months

My LO is 9.5 months and at 9 months she weighed 18 lbs. She has chunky cheeks and legs, but when I lay down with her to nurse, you can feel her ribs. Her doctor said she was in the 29th percentile for her weight and that really worried me. Does anyone else have this issue ? She nurses 7-8 times a day and gets 3 meals of baby food everyday. I don't know if Im doing something wrong.

Re: Unsure about weight at 9.5 months

Why does 29th percentile worry you? If a child is in the 29th percentile, that means that about 28% of healthy children her age weigh less, and about 70% of healthy children her age weigh more. The charts measures the average growth curves of healthy children. So 1% is not starving children on the brink of death, and 100% ones are not dangerously obese. Know what I mean? Being on a lower than average percentile is no less healthy than being on a higher percentile. Where a problem MAY be indicated is when a baby ‘falls off the curve.” Was she in a much higher percentile prior to this? Breastfed kids do tend to lean out (start gaining much less dramatically) after 6 months or so.

I used to kid around that I could 'play the piano" on my son's ribs. He is very very healthy, just slightly taller and thinner than average.

Re: Unsure about weight at 9.5 months

Nothing wrong with being in the 29th %ile. Statistically speaking, there are just as many healthy kids in the 71st %ile as the 29th, and just as many in the 1st as the 99th, or the 5th and 95th, or 25th and 75th, etc.

Re: Unsure about weight at 9.5 months

My DD was exactly 17 pounds at her 9-month checkup (so, a pound less than your DD at 9 months). At almost 10 months now I'm sure she's gained in the last month, but she's totally fine and no one is concerned about her weight - no worries!

Re: Unsure about weight at 9.5 months

Our DDs our the same age. I don't know if this helps but she was 18 pounds 5 ounces at her 9 month check up. That tiny little 5 ounces put her in the 48th percentile. The difference b/w these percentiles is really that tiny.

If we put our DDs next to each other I bet no one would see a difference -- chunk legs, chipmunk cheeks, and bony bony ribs when stretched out!

Re: Unsure about weight at 9.5 months

Originally Posted by @llli*vivsmaman

If we put our DDs next to each other I bet no one would see a difference -- chunk legs, chipmunk cheeks, and bony bony ribs when stretched out!

This is a really good observation! I never really thought about it, but babies do tend to carry weight in their thighs, arms, neck, cheeks, and bottom, but not so much in their torsos. My babies always had rolls upon rolls in their legs and neck, and cellulite tushies, but their ribs and tummies were relatively lean. I think it's just normal for babies to grow that way, and maybe it's the healthier way to pack on weight? You always hear that for adults it's much healthier to carry weight in your legs and tush than in your abdomen/torso!